Hungary

Hungary continues to extend its energy relations with Russia causing another major tension in the already heavy-loaded Hungarian-EU relations.

It is not only constitutional democracy that Viktor Orbán’s regime treats as its enemy; the Hungarian government has also launched a forceful attack on the welfare state. A concise overview of the latest reforms - and an assess of their consequences for poverty and social inequality.

Almost three years have passed since the enactment of changes to the general law in Hungary. The overall message of the Orbán government’s new education system is:  you belong where you were born. An analysis.

The Hungarian tax authority scandal is complicated and mysterious. One thing is clear, however: Fidesz came into conflict with the Obama administration – which took more effective action than the European Union against a corrupt and Russia-oriented government.

The year 2014 was supposed to be a year of success stories for Fidesz in Hungary. But demonstrations against the internet tax have become a channel through which the people have been able to express their dissatisfaction.  

Despite the poignant victory of Fidesz: The elections showed losses for all parties. Juhász Attila, analyst at Political Capital Policy Research and Consulting Institute, explains why.

Local municipal elections will be held in Hungary on 12 October 2014. The most important question is how spectacular the gains of the far-right party Jobbik will be.

Recent actions taken by Hungarian police against NGOs is not a singular manifestation of the excessive use of force. It is a logical consequence of Viktor Orbán’s campaign waged against the civil sector.

The Băile Tuşnad speech of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán must be analyzed in a wider contex: The Orbán regime is systematically taking control of all institutions that could have a role in containing the power of the government.

In the Romanian spa town Băile Tuşnad, Viktor Orbán declares the post-communist period to be over and evokes a new Hungarian community in front of 8,000 students.

With new rules for municipal elections four months before election day Fidesz is consolidating its majority in most city councils. The constitutionality of these changes is questionable, though.

In its attempt to undermine a pluralistic media environment the Hungarian government launched an offensive against the Norwegian NGO Fund operating in the county. It started as a usual political battle, but behind the scenes there is going on much more.

The EP election in Hungary resulted in a clear victory for the governing party Fidesz. The national vote was characterised primarily by an internecine competition on the left and secondarily by a battle between the far-right and the left - an analysis by Tamás Boros.

The dominant West European narrative according to which Orbán is seeking to move Hungary to Europe’s political periphery is at least partially flawed. What is missing is not a pro-European policy, but rather a vision of Hungary's role in the EU.

On 6 April, Fidesz obtained another two-thirds majority in the Hungarian parliament. What will Viktor Orbán want to do with his supermajority, and what are the next four years likely to bring in Hungarian politics and society?

Author György Dalos finds in his analysis of the parliamentary elections that Hungary needs to re-assume its original place among young democracies: with social and democratic political initiatives that can be compelling for voters and non-voters alike and that could contribute in dismantling the culture of hatred.

On 6 April, election was held in Hungary. The winners were Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party but also Jobbik With 20,5 percent, Jobbik is now the strongest extreme right-wing party in the EU. Eva van de Rakt spoke with political scientist Bulcsú Hunyadi about the outcome.

The left-of-centre opposition parties ended the protracted period of negotiations by creating a type of alliance. The alliance exhibits resembles the former governing left-wing coalition and has hitherto been incapable of mounting a serious challenge to the ruling right-wing majority in 2014.

It might be the first time for Hungarian voters to re-elect a conservative government and Viktor Orbán is confident of winning the elections with a two-third parliamentary majority. Bulcsú Hunyadi gives a detailled overview on Hungaries political landscape and depicts that there is no competition among equals.

The next Hungarian parliament could include two green formations: Dialogue for Hungary (PM), which will surely have some members in parliament, and Politics Can Be Different (LMP). If LMP surpasses the election threshold an independent parliamentary group is guaranteed.